Convection Ovens

[JohnL]

I'm not sure if this topic belongs here but,
I'm changing my kitchen a bit, (my brother gave me a bunch of cabinets that match mine) and I've decide to get rid of my free standing stove and install a cooktop/island and a double wall oven. My question is for those who have the convection oven feature. I've never cooked with one before and was wondering if this feature is worth the added cost, (approx. $500.00 more than a standard double oven). I'm not going high end, (Jenn Aire, Viking ect....) probably Maytag, GE or Whirlpool. Also, why don't they make a gas wall oven with convection? I've only found electric untill you get to the commercial units.
Thanks,
John.

 

[retirednana]

John: Not sure why only electric ovens come with the convection. I think you should go for the electric and convection oven with gas burners. I was leary about using my convection oven but let me tell you that I love it. It makes baking a breeze and all the cookies etc. come out wonderful. For roasting a chicken it can't be beat.

If you are looking at a Viking you might consider a Heartland (heatlandapp.com). If you do't live in Canada which I don't you have to pay for shipping but they are still cheaper than the Viking dual. I love mine. :!:

 

[homecook500]

We just moved into a house with electric convection; I pug in a gas cooktop because I prefer gas. If we could have afforded it I would have gotton one of those all gas ovens with gas convection. Gas to me just seems more like cooking, plus you can still cook if the electricity goes out, like it did here on Thanksgiving - thank goodness we eat early so the turkey was already done.

But - convection ovens are better, especially if you bake. They cook more evenly because of the air circulation. Supposedly no need to turn halfway through, but I do anyway.

At least one professional cooking school I know of uses all convection ovens, at least in their pastry kitchens.

Have fun making your kitchen - what a treat to lay it out just the way you want!

 

[JohnL]

I'll mostly be using mine for roasting,
The GF will like the even heat distribution for her cookies, cakes ect...
I'm not allowed to bake, I always have to fiddle with recipes and baking is a science that just doesn't like to be diddled with
John.

 

[Rob Babcock]

Convection rocks. Fantastic for baking & roasting meats. I definately suggest it's worth the premium.

 

[Bonnie Olson]

I just bought a second hand counter top convection oven. It is a Decosonic. I have used countertop convection ovens before and really liked them. This came without a cookbook. Got any ideas on how to use it?
Thanks, Bonnie

 

[Corey123]

Convection rocks. Fantastic for baking & roasting meats. I definately suggest it's worth the premium.

You're telling me!! I absolutely LOVE my Flavor Wave Convection Oven!!!

Bonnie, I could have sent you mine for nothing! It's almost similar to the Decosonic Convection Oven. And everything is still intact including the manual.

I haven't used it in God knows how long. It's still new-looking, though I had it for like 12 years.


~Corey123.

 

[FryBoy]

We had a Viking stove at our old house, and it had a gas convection oven. At the time we bought it, which was around 1995 or so, it was the only manufacturer of ranges with gas convection ovens for home use, or so they said. I think they may have dropped them in favor of electric ovens with a gas cooktop, but I'm not sure.

Anyway, I liked the convection feature for roasting meats and poultry, and it was fabulous with the oven's infrared broiler -- hamburger patties would swell to nearly double their original thickness, and would literally burst with juices when you cut into them. My theory was that the convection feature helped sear the meats and sealed in the juices.

I wasn't so happy with the convection feature for baking. I found it created hot spots, which were obvious when baking cookies, and so I didn't use convection when baking. But I think that was simply a problem with the Viking's design -- in general, convection is supposed to be great for baking, and is used in virtually all commercial ovens.

When we redo the kitchen in this house, I'll opt for a gas cooktop but an electric convection oven.

 

[Bonnie Olson]

Corey

Corey,
I wish I would have known that. I had an American Harvestor Jetstream? before and I really liked it. We actually wore it out. I saw this for only $20 and thought it would be a good deal. But I don't have any recipes!! Any way I could get you to send me that manual?? I could copy it and send it back within a week. I would so appreciate it. Do you think I could use the same recipes as the American Harvestor??

Thanks,
Bonnie

 

[Corey123]

You shjould be able to. I can make a copy and send it to you. Just need your mailing address in a pm.

I bought one of those American Harvest Jetstream Ovens back in the early '90s from Jordan Marsh when they were around, and the **** thing was dead.

Wouldn't work at all!!! They were at a cheap price. And when I went back to exchange it, I found out that the others were just friggen thrown in the box with no packing material or instructions!!!!!!

At that point, I just asked for my money back! I never tried any of those again.


~Corey123.

 

[Bonnie Olson]

That would be great!! I have already tried a couple of things, just by trial and error. Sorry about your bad experience with Jet Stream. I really liked it, I baked bread in it, cooked roasts, and lots of things. I hope this will be just as good.

I really appreciate your help.
Thanks,
bonnie

 

[Corey123]

Thank you.

I'll get going on that soon.

Yes, I was too afraid to buy a Jetstrem Oven in later years beacause of that bad experience. But the Flavor Wave works as fast as the microwave, and it has one more advantage over the microwave. It browns meats, breads and cakes to golden perfection!!


~Corey123.

 

[ChefJune]

At the time we bought it, which was around 1995 or so, it was the only manufacturer of ranges with gas convection ovens for home use, or so they said.

If they said that they were knowingly misrepresenting. JennAir has had gas/convection for a long time...... right now they make both gas and electric dual ovens. The electric one has more features. I love mine.